Epidemics. 15 



season, is accomplished by disease manifesting itself in 

 special grooves, and over particular organs, rather than by 

 any sudden and overwhelming catastrophe, as by freezing, 

 or universal sphacelus. 



This special form of evil gives both time and opportunity 

 to man to do good to his fellow, and to be a helper against 

 those evils with which he is beset, both remedially and by 

 prevention. 



The doctrine of isolation, as a lawinepidemium, naturally 

 leads to the history of a few special epidemic diseases of 

 long standing, or of widespread diffusion. As for instance, 

 from 1177 to 1817, plague spread to Mid-Europe and 



England, attaining its last hold in this kingdom in 1666 ; 







later on, at Dantzic, Marseilles in 1720, Vienna 1722, and 

 Moscow 1772 ; since which time it has remained chiefly 

 between Egypt and Asia Minor, and in these places since 

 1772 to 1817, to no very great extent, yet it shows itself 

 occasionally for a month or two in one or other of its old 

 haunts. 



Small-pox, again, first made its appearance in England 

 and Northern Europe about 1174 to 1177, and in America 

 1638, or thereabouts. 



Leprosy, an old and venerable disease, being naturally a 

 very chronic affection, and spreading slowly, did not show 

 itself in England and Northern Europe before 1190, the 

 same year as the third or Great Crusade was undertaken ; 

 but evidently, from the coincidence of time, it was too early 



